Guangzhou Zoo, in China, faced backlash after videos of an alarmingly thin crocodile, with visible ribs and spine, went viral. Social media users accused thezoo of neglect and animal cruelty.

The Guangzhou Zoo put out a statement explaining that the reptile had not been mistreated in any way and that its shocking figure was a consequence of gastroenteritis. Usually caused by bacteria or viruses, the condition is characterised by vomiting and diarrhoea symptoms that caused its dramatie weight loss.

`He is currently receiving treatment and will be given extra care in the future,` a zoo spokesperson told Chinese journalists. Critics remain sceptical, questioning how long the condition had gone untreated.